Chabahar Port's Impressive Cargo Surge: A Trade Gateway to Central Asia

Chabahar Port in Iran has experienced significant growth, handling over 22 million tonnes of cargo in 2024-25. This surge underscores its importance as a trade gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The development of this port is a key India-Iran initiative, along with Sittwe Port in Myanmar.

The Chabahar Port in Iran has marked a substantial uptick in cargo handling, witnessing a rise of over 82 percent in the past five years to a total of 22,32,002 tonnes during 2024-25, according to government reports released on Friday.

Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar and Sittwe Port in Myanmar are the two operational overseas ports run by India, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal mentioned in a direct statement to Lok Sabha. Detailed statistics reveal that cargo movement at Chabahar Port has soared from 12,24,345 tonnes in 2020-21 to 28,40,369 tonnes in FY24.

In a significant development on May 13, 2024, a contract for the Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal in Chabahar was finalized, accentuating the port's strategic importance in facilitating trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, thereby bolstering India-Iran relations.

(With inputs from agencies.)